Gear-shift mechanism



Deg. 30. 1924. I 1,521,535

' E. C. HICKS GEAR SHIFT MECHANI SM Filed D60. 6, 1925 Patented llee. 3t 1924.

ERNEST C. HICKS, 01E NAYNESYILLE, MISSOURI.

GEAR-SHIFT MECHANISM.

Application filed. December 6, 1923. Serial No. 678,993.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST O. Hicks, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vaynesville, in the county of Pulaski and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gear-Shift Mechanisms, of which the following is aspecification.

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide, in a gear shift mechanism, a construction consisting of readily actuable gear shifting means wherein it is desirable to place the gear shifting elements under the control of foot levers or pedals, and in this connection to provide a mechanism involving improvements on and refinement of the construction disclosed in the Patent No. 1,392,159, granted September 27, 1921,. to Ernest C. Hicks. 7

Another purpose is to provide a gear shift mechanism including means for shifting the gears of the transmission and including operative connections with the clutch pedal whereby, upon operating said mechanism, the clutch pedal may throw the clutch in ear.

Still another purpose is to provide a gear shift mechanism, the construction and arrangement of which are such as to shift the gears of the transmission prior to completely throwing the clutch in gear.

It is to be understood that the particulars herein given are in no way limitative and that, while still keeping within the scope of the invention, any desired modifications of detail and desired proportions may be made in the apparatus according to the circumstances.

The invention comprises further features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view of a portion of an auto-- mobile, showing the foot-board and the floor in sectionand the clutch casing and transmission case in elevation, with the improved gear shift mechanism applied in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view showing a part of an actuating sleeve in section.

Figure 3 is a detail view of the selector and the clutch arms.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the clutch arms.

Figure 5 is a. detail perspective view of the rocker shaft and rocker sleeve.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the clutch casing which may constitute a part of the motor block (notshown) and 2 designates a clutch operating shaft which connects with the clutch (not shown) in any well known manner (not shown). The

shaft 2 includes a clutch pedal 3 which has 'ing shown in general outline. However, to

carry out the function of the invention, the transmission includes shiftable yokes 7 and 8, the yoke 7 serving to shift certain of the gears (not shown) of the transmission to first speed or reverse, the yoke 8 serving to shift the gears to second or high speed. The yokes 7 and 8 are carried by the shift ing rods 9 and 10 which are guided through the transmission case (3.

A rocker 11 is provided which comprises a rocking shaft 12 and a rocking sleeve 13, one being rockable independently of the other. The sleeve carries the rocker arm 14 which is tubular, and mounted therein for rocking movement on an axis at right angles to the axis of the shaft 12 is a rocking spindle 15, the upper end of which carries a cross arm 16. Both ends of the cross arm have foot plates 17 and 18 for the purpose of rocking the spindle in either direction as well as imparting movement to the rocker which also includes the arm 14. Adjacent where the arm is carried by the sleeve 13, an opening 19 is provided for the reception of a selector 20 which isfixed in any suitable manner to the lower end of the spindle 15.

Fixed to the shaft 12 and depending therefrom is an arm 21, its slotted end being connected to the shifting rod 9, as at 23, and fixed to the sleeve 13 and depending therefrom is an arm 24L having its slotted end 25 connected to the shifting rod 10. as at 26. lVhen the rocker shaft 12 is moved in the. direction of the arrow a, the shifting rod 9 moves the yoke 7 to shift the transmission gears to first speed and when the rocker shaft is moved in the direction of the arrow 7), the rod 9 shifts the yoke 7 to reverse. When the sleeve 13 is moved in the direction of the arrow 0, the gear shifting rod moves the yoke 8 to shift the trans- .mission gears to second speed and when the sleeves 13 1s rocked 1n .the direction of the arrow d, the shiftlng rod 10 moves the" yoke 8 .to shift the transmission gears to" l'righ speed. 5

The arm 1 1 has a foot pedal 27lpivotally' mounted at28 thereomthere being an abutment 29 to hold the footpedal inits normal positlon shown 1n Figure Land carried by one arm oi the foot pedal is a hook 30 for engagement With a keeper. 31 on the under face of, the foot-boa-rdof the automobile or other motor driven vehicle to hold the arm and the rocker in forward position Withthe yoke 7 in: reverse position or the yoke 8 in either of the foot plates 17 or 18. In fact, e

. the engine shaft 5.

. purpose, of operating the arm in one direc .in first and high speeds.

rockershaft 12 and extending rearivardl'y,

second position. foot pedal ispositioned so that itsfoot plate 32'is in close positionto the foot platesl't and 18, so that the heel or theioot of the, "o'perator. may engage the footplateBQ- Wh le the toe'oi? the operator-"s foot may engage the" operator firstplaces the heel of the foot on the foot pedal plate 32 which releases the arm,- then the ball of the foot is placed on either one or the foot platesll or 18 for the purpose of actuating the rocker .sha fti The arm 14 is loose upon the rocker shaft and Where it is fulcriume'd thereon it has a lug 33"to which a link 85 is connected, as 34;. The linlz'35 is, in turn pivoted to the clutch pedal 3. -Obviousl y, when the arm 14 is tilted in either direction, it will actuate the clutch pedal in the direction of the arrow 9, asshown in Figure I.- No matter 1'n-,-\vh1cl1r direction the arm 14- may tilt,

I the clutch pedal always moves in the directron Indicated at 9, hence moving. the clutch in geaiyavhereby motion may he imparted to A tension spring 36-is provided and has one end connected at 3-7 to the clutch case and its other end connected at 38 to a lug on the lower end of the arm for the tion When shifting the transn'rission gears Fixed. to'athe th reof is a clu'tch arm 39 which is forket l, as shown at 40. Fixed to and extending rearwardly oi" the sleeve 13 is a clutch arm. 4}]; The clutch arms 39' and ll are in parall'elisn the latter being also --forked, asshown t will be noted that the I recess 44 and act to retain one or the other of the clutch arms in. position hile the other actuates. The springs also assist'in retaining the selector in engagement between the forks of the clutch arms when the selector is moved into engagement Withl either of them.

Referring to Figure 1, it. Will be noted that the rocker with the arm 14: and the i yokes 7 and 8 are shown as in neutral positionsfand may he held in such positions either by the foot applied upon the foot plate- 4 or the pedal 3 or by the brake lever 49 and the link l8; heir the operator presses upon the foot pedal plate 18' of the rocking spindle, the selector is moved in engagementjvith:the clutch arm 39. pressure to accomplish this result is not suificient to cause the arm ,Hfto'tiltIfbrWardr hence the tension: of tl'ie springggti is sufk ficient to tilt the arm 14' rearwardl y and as this tilting action is accomplished foot pressure upon the suture arm is gradually relieved so that the arm 21 Will move the shifting rod 9 forWardly mov-ingthe yoke 7 to shift the transmission gears to first speed; 7 To move the yoke? hack to neutral;

it is necessary to apply foot pressure "upon th-eentire rocker or, preferably foot pressure upon the clutchpedal 3. The foot pressure upon the pedal 3 will maintain: the..arm 14 and the yokes 7 and- 8 in neutral positions.

The l Tomove. the yoke '7 to reverse.position the operators app-lies foot presure upon the pedal plate 18, again moving the selector 20 in engagement With the clutch arm 39. Upon applyingsufhcient pressure to rock the arm 14 against the action of the spring 36, tl16 Sl1lfllI lil11'g rod 9 -.moves rearwardl'y and hence moves the yolre 7' to shift the transmission gears to reverse- In this instance, the action of the'spring will return i the arm to {its initial positionand re store the yoke? to neutral. 'Pressure upon the pedal 3 will also return the yoke from itsreverse position to neutral.

Foot pressure upon the foot pedal plate.

17 will move the selector 20 in engagement with. the clutch arm 41. and by continued pressure upon theQiootpedal rplate 1'7, the V rocker arm 14 will tilt againstthe action ol? the spring 36, moving the rod l0 rear- Wardly and the yoke 8 into second pos1tion thereby shifting the gears of the transmis sion to second speed. The return of the arm.

14 tolinitial position gis also accomplished by. the spring 36 or by foot pressureupon the pedal 3, the yoke 8' being returned to I neutral. I 1 g Upon causing foot pressure upon the foot pedalplate 17, the selector again engaging spindle sufliciently to allow the pressure to be gradually relieved, the; action of the spring 36 Will rock thesleeve in the di-' the clutch arm 41 andlafteri rockingthe rertion ot the arrow (Z in Figure 2, moving the yoke S :t'o'ward to third position and shifting the transmission gears to high speed. In this instance, it is necessary to return the rocker arm to initial position and the yoke 8 to neutral position by applying toot pressure either upon the foot pedal plate 17 or preferably upon the pedal 3.

In each instance, when shiftingthe gears of the transmission, the clutch pedal 3 is actuated to throw the clutch in gear. When the clutch arm 39 is tilted, its spring 415 assists in holding the selector 20 in engagement with the forks while the other spring 15 engaging within the keeper recess 14 prevents tilting movement or the clutch arm 16. When the clutch arm 11 is tilted, its spring "e5 acts to retain the selector in engagement with the forks thereof, while the opposite spring 4L5 engages with the keeper recess it and retains the clutch arm 39 against movement.

An emergency brake lever 19 is provided and may be pivoted at to any suitable lo ation on the frame of the automobile, and pivoted to its lower end 51 is a link :8. .k brake rod 46 is provided for connection in any suitable manner (not shown) with the usual brake mechanism (not shown), and has its forward end pivoted to the lower end of the arm 14:. When the arm 14; and the arms L1 and 2 1 operate, the movement of the arm 14 is never sufficient to apply the brakes. However, in case of emergency the lever 49 may be actuated, thereby causing either end of the slot- 52 in the link a8 to engage with the lateral pin 47 of the rod "l and immediately apply the brakes and restore the arm 14 to its initial position and the transmission gears back to neutral.

In other words, the lever 49 constitutes a brake operating element acting through the link 16, so that the operation of the brakes and the restoration of the transmission gears to neutral may be accomplish d, due to the slot cooperating with the pin 47.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed is:

l. A gear shitting mechanism having a pedal actuated rocker consisting of members indc 'iendcntly movable in opposite directions from a neutral position, and a foot actuable selector carried by the pedal for communicating motion selectively to said members, said selecto having a spindle provided with a cross head having pedal heads for alternate toot pressure.

2. A gear shifting mechanism having a pedal actuated rocker consisting of members independently movable in opposite directions from a neutral position, and a foot actuable selector carried by the pedal for com municating motion selectively to said members; said selector consisting of a spindlecarried tongue mounted for rocking movement, and clutch arms carried by said members for selective engagement thereby.

3. A gear shifting mechanism having a pedal actuated rocker consisting of members independently movable in opposite directions from a neutral position, and a foot actuable selector carried by tne pedal for communicating motion selectively to said members, the rocker being operatively connected with the clutch and having reversible means for operating the selector. 7

4. A. gea shifting mechanism for transmissions including a rocker operable for shifting the transmission gears either to first, second, third or reverse positions, a clutch normally open and including a clutch pedal, and means connected to and operable by the rocker and operatively connected with the clutch pedal for throwing the clutch in gear substantially subsequent to the shifting of th transmission gears.

5. In a transmission gear shifting mecha nism, the combination with a clutch mechanism including a clutch pedal, of a transmission mechanism, means operable to shift the gears of the transmission to first, second, third or reverse positions, and means connecting said first means and the clutch pedal for moving the clutch in gear substantially subsequent to the shifting of the transmis sion gears.

6. In a transmission gear shitting mechanism, the combination with a transmission mechanism including separable yokes for shifting the transmission gears from first to reverse and vice versa and from second to third and vice versa, coaxial rocking members operatively connecting with said yokes, clutch arms carried by said members, and a rocker arm on one of said members and including means rocking on an axis at right angles to said members and provided with a selector to engage either one of said clutch arms for rocking one or the other of said members.

7. In a transmission gear shitting mechanism, the combination with a transmission mechanism including separable yokes for shifting the transmission gears from first to reverse and vice versa and from second to third and vice versa, coaxial, rocking members operatively connecting with said yokes, clutch arms carried by said members, a rocker arm on one of said members and including means rocking on an axis at right angles to said members and provided with. a selector to engage either one of said clutch arms for rocking one or the other of said members, and tension means connecting with the rocker arm for moving the same in one direction.

8. In a transmission gear shifting mechanism, the combination with a transmission mechanism including separable yokes for shifting: the transmission gears fmom filtst to' reverse and vice versa: and from seeonuzl t0 thlrd and woe verse, coax-larli rocklng: Inem: bers operatwe'l y connecting wl-th sald yOkes,

- elutch 'aauns cannied' by said members, w

v seIeebef to engage either one of said ,el'ubch arms forrocking one 01* the other of Said members, tensionmeans conneeting'with the 7 rocker mm for moving the same in 'one (1i recbiony a, clutch mechanism: normally open.

and including a clutch pedaL'and. means. 013- eratively connecting the rocker arm alndthe clutch pedal; fo movingf the clutch in gear '7 substantially subsequent to completing the shifting movement of one or the ether of said-yoktes; Y

In testimony whereof he aifixes his signature:

HICKS. 

